Barcelona crumble, Lyon combat again, Man Metropolis go prime of WSL

With home leagues beginning to wind up throughout Europe and a few groups edging nearer to touchdown silverware in cup competitions, the primary focus of the weekend was the primary legs of the UEFA Girls’s Champions League semifinals.

– Stream on ESPN+: NWSL, LaLiga, Bundesliga, extra (U.S.)

Barcelona crumble at house towards Chelsea

Champions League holders and scorching favourites to retain their crown this season, Barcelona had been stopped of their tracks on Saturday by a powerful Chelsea group who got here away from the semifinal first leg in Spain with an enormous 1-0 win due to Erin Cuthbert’s first-half aim.

Emma Hayes’ facet leaned into each little bit of their expertise to tip the scales of their favour as their again 5 clogged up the ultimate third and so they pressed onerous throughout the pitch. However quite than rise to the event, Barça buckled to place in one among their worst performances in current reminiscence.

Barcelona had been unbeaten at house in 5 years, whereas the final time they failed to attain was again in April 2022. However world-class stars like Caroline Graham Hansen and Keira Walsh went lacking and Barça’s match was typified by Alexia Putellas’ last-minute effort from the centre of the world, which the two-time Ballon d’Or winner one way or the other managed to slice extensive. Such a psychological capitulation is a world away from the group Barcelona have advanced into, however they may do nothing as Hayes’ group had one among their finest video games of what has been a questionable season to this point.

Barcelona have reached the UWCL ultimate in 4 of the previous 5 seasons, however they are going to tackle the unfamiliar position of underdog as they struggle to take action once more subsequent week in London. — Sophie Lawson

Lyon combat again vs. PSG

At 2-0 up, due to a Marie-Antoinette Katoto brace, Paris Saint-Germain had been cruising in Lyon because the 79th-minute ticked over. Their gameplan was working to perfection however, in what was their third assembly with Lyon to this point this season, supervisor Jocelyn Prêcheur confirmed his naivety. This wasn’t only a Division 1 Féminine assembly, this was the Champions League semifinals — one thing eight-time winners Lyon know all about. And when Les Fenottes get shut sufficient to style the ultimate, they all the time appear to seek out one other gear.

PSG sunk deeper, inviting strain from the hosts, and three targets in six unimaginable minutes noticed Lyon flip the deficit right into a 3-2 benefit due to Sonia Bompastor’s canny substitutes and targets from Kadidiatou Diani, Melchie Dumornay and Amel Majri.

Earlier within the day it regarded like Barcelona had reverted right into a former model of themselves towards Chelsea and the identical might be stated of PSG as they struggled to point out the expertise and understanding wanted to beat Lyon. It was a demise that was fully their very own making however the method by which it occurred makes a possible comeback at house all of the much less possible. — SL

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How Lyon turned UWCL semifinal round in ‘devastating six minutes’ for PSG

Sophie Lawson reacts to Lyon’s 3-2 victory towards PSG within the Girls’s Champions League by which they scored three targets in six minutes to seize the win.

Man Metropolis’s quick begin makes assertion of intent for WSL title

With Chelsea occupied by European soccer, Manchester Metropolis noticed the proper alternative to make a press release of intent within the Girls’s Tremendous League title race, and so they did simply that. Having performed a recreation extra, Metropolis went three factors clear on the prime of the desk after a medical and ruthless 5-0 win over West Ham United. Nevertheless it was their rampant begin, with Leila Ouahabi netting inside 24 seconds and Khadija “Bunny” Shaw including a second within the fourth minute, that orchestrated the proper demolition job.

Each aim counts in a title race as shut as this one and if either side win their remaining video games, it is going to come all the way down to the all-important aim distinction. By Metropolis extending theirs to +3 over the Blues, it piles the strain on Hayes’s facet to churn out some show-stopping performances of their remaining 4 video games.

Metropolis’s assertion of dominance over West Ham will present a strain launch now that they’ve confirmed Champions League soccer once more after lacking out final season. All that’s left is to try to seal a primary WSL title since 2016. — Emily Keogh

Tottenham study classes vs. Man United

With Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United heading to Wembley subsequent month for the FA Cup ultimate, this WSL matchup was an opportunity for every to study from their opponents and, particularly, for Spurs to determine methods to play with out loanee Grace Clinton.

Clinton might be ineligible to face her dad or mum membership when Spurs make their inaugural look in an FA Cup ultimate, however she has arguably been their most vital participant this season as a lot comes by way of the midfielder. And the final time Spurs confronted United with out the 21-year-old they had been handed a 4-0 drubbing.

However Spurs boss Robert Vilahamn might need an thought methods to play with out Clinton now as his facet had been cruelly denied their first-ever win over United as Maya le Tissier scrambled house a stoppage-time equaliser. Spurs had come from behind after Melvine Malard gave United the lead, with two targets in three minutes from Bethany England and Jessica Naz, however had been denied on the loss of life because it completed 2-2.

Nonetheless, it was a transparent enchancment from the season’s first assembly and would have supplied key info on methods to dampen United’s threats, capitalise on their weaknesses and, most significantly, methods to arrange for victory with out Clinton. — EK

Fox dazzles for Arsenal

Emily Fox has had a number of months to regulate to life within the WSL and has seemingly taken to it like a duck to water. After impressing through the Conti Cup ultimate and successful the Participant of the Matcha award within the WSL win over towards Liverpool, Fox has been showcasing her athleticism and expertise in current weeks and the USWNT defender put in one other five-star efficiency in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Leicester Metropolis.

The fitting-back used her tempo and burgeoning partnership with centre-back Leah Williamson to dictate stream from the again, and virtually picked up her first WSL aim after twisting to take intention from the sting of the world, solely to be denied by an acrobatic save from Lize Kop.

If her fast adjustment to the WSL is any indication of the longevity of her expertise, Fox will little question be one among Arsenal’s most dependable gamers subsequent season. Six factors off prime spot, and UWCL soccer confirmed, subsequent yr the membership’s title aspirations might be larger than ever. — EK

Juventus delay Roma’s celebrations

Having succumbed to a late Roma winner final Monday, Juventus needed to win towards Sassuolo to maintain their more and more slim Serie A title hopes alive. And, going a aim down simply earlier than the hour, it regarded as if the Bianconere‘s forgettable season had drawn to an early shut.

Nevertheless, the hosts fought their means again to win 2-1, with Lisa Boattin’s cute free kick cancelling out Chiara Beccari’s opener earlier than Paulina Nystrom fired house the winner at a nook. It is the kind of combat Juventus have been missing this season as they sit 9 factors off prime spot with 4 video games left, however they’re nonetheless with out a everlasting manger following Joe Montemurro’s departure and their normal course continues to boost questions.

The win, mixed with Roma’s 0-0 draw — their first of the league season — away to Fiorentina afterward Saturday has postponed the Giallorosse‘s title get together, however it solely seems like delaying the inevitable. — SL

Hoffenheim falter

With the Frauen-Bundesliga title set to finish up with both Bayern Munich of Wolfsburg, the race is on between Eintracht Frankfurt and Hoffenheim to see who can declare the third Champions League berth.

Having claimed the higher hand final month, Hoffenheim’s 2-1 late loss to Essen allowed the Eagles to leapfrog them again into third with their 4-1 win over Nurnburg, and now a single level separates the 2 groups heading into the final three video games of the season.

Hoffenheim had been main however then Benke Sterner’s 88th minute equaliser shocked them earlier than Natasha Kowalski’s penalty two minutes later put the ball again in Eintracht’s court docket. — SL